Coach's Blog

30

Nov

The holidays are among us. This time of year can be particularly tough on our efforts to eat healthy and stay up on our fitness. Don’t let the next 5 weeks sabotage all the hard work you put in day in and day out! Did you know that most holiday foods are actually healthy? Cranberries, dark chocolate, turkey, greens and assorted vegetables, dried fruit and yes, even red wine! Where we go astray is in the preparation and the portions. Here are my top 5 to survive:

1. Food prep: Focus on your cooking methods and compromise with yourself. If you are going to have mashed potatoes with cream cheese and butter, then have green salad or steamed veggies available for balance. Decide what is worth the plunge and what we can lean out. Avoid heavy sauces, gravies and high calorie toppings if possible.

2. Portion appropriately: There are so many seasonal favorites this time of year. We love Aunt Mary’s potatoes, mom’s casseroles and grandma’s cookies. Make your plate 1/3 vegetables, 1/3 protein and 1/3 carbs. Also, keep appetizers light. These are meant to wet your appetite not ruin it. Choose no more than two or three appetizers – keep one veggie based, one protein then one indulgent. This will allow you to stay balanced but get a taste of the good stuff.

3. Carb wisely: The holiday menu typically includes more than one option of each food group. Rolls, stuffing, two kinds of potatoes, corn pudding and more sound delicious, but try to stick to one carbohydrate option per meal.

4. Keep track: Now is the time to track your foods, not give up on it! With a bite of this and a bite of that, calories add up

quickly! Use MyFitnessPal or your app of your choice to stay on track.

5. It is a Holi-Day, not Holi-week or Holi-month: We have a tendency use this time of year to indulge in everything and anything. We are only observing three holidays this season but we seem to celebrate every day. Late nights finishing up last minute shopping leads to quick passes through the drive-thru or convenient frozen pizzas. Instead use healthy convenient foods – precooked rotisserie chickens, frozen steamer vegetables, salad kits and easy crock pot meals for batch cooking. It takes just as long to cook 5 chicken breasts as it does a frozen pizza.

You have the knowledge and tools you need to survive the holidays. Be mindful about your food choices, rev up the exercise to account for indulgences, increase water to drink away the added salt and sugar, but most of all enjoy the most wonderful time of the year!

—

Carla Schuit RD, LDN, MPH

27

Sep

Every day I talk to people about their diet history, eating patterns, medical needs and nutritional goals. Every day I hear “I have a slow metabolism”. What is metabolism? It’s this thing that seems to regulate our dreams of chiseled bodies and large consumption of food. Metabolism is the chemical reaction with in a living organism in order to maintain life. It is also known as the rate at which we burn energy to function on a daily basis.

There are many factors that contribute to how our metabolism functions; sex, age, genetics, and lifestyle to name a few. So the bad news – there are no foods that increase your metabolism, there are no fat burning foods and there is no cleanse in the world that will rev up our fat burning. The good news – we can change this! Muscle burns 6.4 calories per pound whereas fat burns 1.8 calories per pound. What does this mean? The best way to increase your metabolism is to increase your muscle mass. Focusing meals on protein will aid in muscle synthesis, but don’t hate on carbs! Carbs are our primary energy source and also aid in muscle building. Whether you are eating to lose weight, change body composition, fuel performance or any other reason, having a higher metabolism will allow you to eat more calories, more food!! So keep lifting them weights!!

5

Jun

I have yet to meet a person who doesn’t perform some kind of regular maintenance on their car. The condition of the car will almost always be directly proportional to how much work is spent on detailing, tune-ups, or general upkeep. Avoiding regular preventative maintenance inevitably leads to very costly breakdowns that put your vehicle out of commission for an extended period of time. Our bodies need the same maintenance in order to avoid “costly breakdowns” and are built to last millions of duty cycles, and yet very few of us spent even as little as five minutes a day working on ourselves. THIS IS CRAZY! Here are 2 simple ways to start taking charge of your body.

1. Move every joint through it’s full range of motion everyday!

Use it or lose it! To maintain functional movement we need to send a signal to our brain that the range of motion we are using is necessary for our survival.

Think about all the major joints of your body starting from the top and working your way down (Neck / Shoulders / Elbows / Wrists / Spine / Hips / Knees / Ankles)

Starting with the neck, move through several circles in each direction then move on to the next joint.

Never force a position that doesn’t come naturally! This practice is about getting the blood flowing and helping to maintain what you currently have.

This whole sequence can be performed in less than 5 minutes. Do it first thing in the morning every single day!

2. Mobilize based on your movement

Identifying areas that need work is as simple as asking 1 question…What movements do I struggle with? Overhead squat? Shoulder Press? Deadlifts? Handstands?

After identifying the movement pattern that needs work, spend time in the position of restriction. Struggle with deep squats? Spend more time squatting to a safe, challenging range and work the joints involved in the movement (hips / ankles).

Spend a minimum of 2 minutes of dedicated work on each movement and have a standard that can be measured. This often requires a mirror or video to get a real sense of progress and change.

Mobilize EVERY DAY and keep working a movement until the desired position is achieved! This may take months of hard work but once the position is achieved it is easy to keep up with tip #1.

Chiropractors, physical therapists, and message therapists offer additional resources and services that can be an incredible addition to your routine, but ultimately YOU are responsible for the everyday condition of your “vehicle.” Don’t wait for a breakdown to start working towards better movement and more pain-free living!

7

May

In the fitness industry it seems like everyone touts the benefits of “Core” training without truly understanding that your “abs” are only a small part of what constitutes the core. Endless sit-ups and crunches may give you a great burn, but if you’re looking for true results you need to think about your core from a different perspective.

The “core” or as I prefer to call it “midline” should be thought of as pretty much every muscle on your body that isn’t a part of your legs and arms. The abs are certainly important but need to be trained in a balanced manner along with the glutes, hips, and spinal erectors (to name a few).

The function of your “Core” is varied and includes both stabilizing the spine (i.e. Planks, Deadlifts) and occasionally acting as the prime mover (i.e. Crunches, Side bends). This is an oversimplification when you consider how dynamic our movement becomes during different sporting activities which include twisting and bending but this basic framework will help guide us in selecting appropriate exercises in order to build true, functional strength.

When looking to create true core strength consider and apply the following concepts to maximize your time and results.

– Think timed plank holds or back extensions using only your bodyweight. If you struggle to hold these positions for less than 90 seconds, no need to move on to more complex exercises.

2. Balance your anterior/posterior (front side equal to back side)

– If you train your abs for 10 sets a week be sure to train your posterior chain (glutes,low-back, spinal erectors) for an equal number of sets using exercises like back extensions, glute-ham raises, superman holds, or good mornings.

3. Utilize Anti-Rotation in your training.

– Think of this as resisting a force that is attempting to make you twist or bend. This will help prepare you for “real” world activities like having to pick up awkward loads while moving or playing with your children. My favorite exercises in this category are kneeling/standing pallof presses, Turkish Getups, and “Suitcase” carries with a heavy Kettle-bell.

4. Variety is spice of life.

– After building confidence and strength in basic positions start mixing it up! This will keep your training fun and lead to continued strength gains. Tough moves like hanging leg raises, L-sit holds, windshield wipers, or weighted planks are great moves to mix into your program to stimulate new growth.

Throwing in the occasional set of sit-ups at the end of your training session won’t kill you but my hope is that you’ll think more critically about your core training and utilize movements that build real strength!

3

Apr

Hate the overhead squat because you have a hard time keeping the bar overhead as you lower down? It’s probably not just your shoulder mobility. If you spend time at a computer, sitting in a car, or just even doing work in front of you, your upper back (thoracic spine) is probably really stiff and limiting your ability to achieve that overhead position. Here’s a quick exercise to mobilize your thoracic spine to help improve your overhead position.

The Snow Angel:

Lay on a foam roll placed at the level of your shoulder blades.

Tighten your midline and keep your low back flat.

Start with arms down at your sides and palms facing the ceiling. SLOWLY move arms out to the side, overhead and back down like you are making a snow angel on the floor. Keep your arms straight and as close to the floor as possible. Try NOT to let your shoulders creep up towards your ears.

Repeat about 20 times, focusing on technique and keeping arms close to the floor.

Perform this exercise several times a week to start seeing improvement in your overhead squat position! It also wouldn’t hurt to start being more aware of your posture, too!

30

Dec

At one time or another most of us have gotten the itch to train like a CrossFit games athlete or focus on one particular goal. This typically involves spending more time at the gym and increasing total training volume. Spending more time with a skill is definitely an awesome way to improve, but care needs to be taken to avoid some common pitfalls that occur with more specialized training. Here are a few things to consider before taking off with a new training regiment:

1. A singular focus on one skill/attribute can lead to decreased overall health and fitness.

Focused skill work is great as long as it doesn’t take away from the “big picture” goal. If your primary goal is general health and happiness consider if the pursuit will be worthwhile. Ask anyone who is training to be as strong as possible if they experience chronic joint pain or aches – they will most likely just laugh at you. Ask an ultra marathon runner if they’ve battled injuries in their past season and you’ll get the same reaction. The more focused or specific your work becomes the more likely you’ll experience overuse injuries or drop off in other skills. CrossFit is aimed at a more broad inclusive fitness that includes many different attributes in order to avoid these issues.

2. Lack of variety can lead to boredom and frustration.

A program is only ever as good as the work put into it. If you start to go through the motions or miss a performance goal, you have very little to fall back on. A well-varied program will give you many different ways to improve and keep you engaged. Miss that squat PR? Well, maybe it’s time to focus on better handstands, a faster 1000 meter row, or 3RM hang power clean.

3. Are you the only one working towards your goals?

A lack of accountability and companionship can easily lead to burnout and ultimately cause an athlete to quit training all together. Having training partners or a class is a vital part of sticking with a program and continuing when the going gets tough. It’s much harder to skip a workout when you know your buddies are getting after it and will most likely give you a hard time for being lazy.

With all of this being said, there are definitely situations where training for a specific goal is appropriate and several of these issues can be avoided. The single best way to get started on a new goal is to talk with a coach!!! All of your coaches at CrossFit Turbine will gladly sit down and help guide you toward a goal or even help you decide if the goal is worth pursuing. We love talking with you! We want to help you in any way possible but we can’t fix what we don’t know is broken. Your coaches are your most valuable resource at CrossFit Turbine and you need to use them! Send us an email, pull us aside, Facebook message us, write a fancy handwritten letter, or do whatever you want to get in communication with us and ask away! No question is stupid if you don’t know the answer.

Our goal has always been to improve the health, fitness, and happiness of the world and it starts with helping individuals achieve their goals. Get in here and let us know your thoughts!

By: Coach Adam

28

Nov

Rebecca has come a long way since she first entered our doors. Like all of our coaches, she started as a member and entered into our coaching internship program with a passion to learn more so she could help others grow both in fitness and happiness. Rebecca has spent the past few months as a “grasshopper” and has shown a willingness to both work on her weaknesses and use her strengths to help others succeed. She is ready for the next step and has received her red shirt and the title of assistant coach! We are privileged to have such a talented, thoughtful, and hardworking woman as a part of our staff! Rebecca will be assisting our 6:30am classes and continuing to grow in her skills and knowledge through our internship program.

2

Nov

Less than 2 months to go until the new year! Some of you might be thinking about some resolutions or goals you want to start working on. Maybe you are in the midst of working on one but haven’t dedicated as much time to it as you would like. Sometimes it is hard to figure out how to begin, what direction to head, and what do you when you feel stuck.

There are several resources out there to help you set goals and track your process. I’m a huge fan of the SMART goal setting process.

SMART goal setting involves 5 simple steps:

Specific – This is the “who” and the “what.” Having a goal of getting stronger is too broad. Be specific. Pick a specific movement or an amount you want to improve by. Take pull-ups, for example. For many, pull-ups are that one movement you work so hard at and yet, it still seems so far away. But “what” is it about the pull-ups you want to get better at? Maybe you make your goal to be able to perform 3 kipping pull-ups in a row. This is specific!

Measurable – This is the “how.” How are you going to quantify your goal? Tracking progress is essential to attaining goals, which is why we offer BTWB as way to log lifts, weights, and times. In the pull-up example, the measurement is 3 reps of kipping pull-ups. The measurement could also be a time or percentage. Make your goal something you can track.

Attainable – This also is a “how,” referring to the steps needed to achieve your goal. Maybe there are other resources, people, or support you will look to in order to help make your goal attainable. Maybe you want to drop a pant size. You might enlist the help of a registered dietitian (cough, cough, Carla) or dedicate Sundays to meal planning and grocery shopping.

Relevant – Perhaps the most important part of goal-setting – “why” do you want to accomplish this specific goal? Is it important enough to you to want to stick with it and see it through to the end? It is much easier to stay motivated for meaningful goals.

Timely – “when” do you want to complete this goal? Figure out (with our help) when your target completion date is, then work backwards to set mini benchmarks to hit on your way to completing your goal.

We are here to help you succeed!

Watch for an email in the next week with a goal setting worksheet and how to schedule a time to sit down with a coach to help start you on your journey to success.

21

Oct

CrossFit Turbine is dedicated to providing the best possible experience to every single person that walks through the door. Maybe the single most important aspect of that experience is provided by a coach. A good coach cares. Plain and simple. They care about you getting better. They care about your aches and pains. They want you to be happy! A coach is much more than a cold drill master that simply wants to squeeze more reps out of you. Finding a skilled athlete who happens to also be a caring, humble, and selfless person is like finding pure gold.

Jayme has proven herself time and again to be a valuable addition to our coaching staff and she is ready for the next step. I’m happy to announce that she has received her black shirt and will be proudly wearing the title of “Coach.” Jayme brings an incredible kindness and inviting personality to each and every class and we are lucky to have her as part of our community. It seriously feels like we found pure gold!

12

Oct

There are many diets out there proclaiming to be the best and promising dramatic results. So, how do you know which would be the best for you?

The best program or diet is the one you can stick to, and one that meets your energy needs. All the diets programs out there offer an endless variety of methods to either directly or indirectly control energy intake. They may omit a food group, restrict timing of eating, such as no eating after 8pm, or encourage intermittent fasting. You may be encouraged to hit specific macronutrient goals (protein, fat and carbs) or eat according to physiological factors such as blood type.

All of these are accomplishing one goal – creating an energy balance to give you the results you desire and that are promised by that specific program. There is no “one size fits all” or one program that is the best. Little changes make a big difference. I recommend the best plan is the one that you can comply with long-term. Not sure where to start? Schedule a consultation, and I can’t help you start the process!